If The Sun Never Set
by RobicheauxRocks101
Summary: Darry never hit Pony. Johnny never killed Bob. The fire never happened. And nobody ever died. What would have happened then? (A happier ending and a better life for the greasers. Enjoy everyone!)(Dallas/Johnny, Pony/Curly, & Steve/Soda)(Eventual Mpreg) Reviews are love!


"Come on to my house, Johnny." Pony told his best friend after they'd walked home from the movie.

Johnny's folks were fighting again and he didn't want to go home and get caught up in the middle of it.

"You sure?" He asked Ponyboy. He felt like a burden on the Curtis boys whenever he came to stay over.

"Yeah. Come on. You can have the couch. I don't think Steve's comin' by tonight. He drove his cousin down to Little Rock a little while ago." Pony assured him.

"Well...alright." Johnny agreed.

"Great. Let's go then. Darry'll kill me if I'm out past curfew." Pony said, putting a friendly arm around his buddy as they headed for the Curtis house.

...

One Year Later...

Darry cranked the radio up at the mention of sports while he stood at the grill, flipping the burgers. He was always hoping for Reg and Dandy, the radio show hosts that ran 96.5, would mention Pony's name like they used to mention his back in high school. It was a long shot to hope for but he still did it.

"Boy that Richie Deterick is gonna go all the way, I tell ya what..."

Darry flipped the burgers over and looked up at Ponyboy and Johnny who were tossing the old pigskin around out infront of him. He grinned at the sight. Those boys. They were like his own.

"You said it, Reg. With an arm like his that boys gonna be able to walk right into any school he wants. I mean hell! I haven't seen that kinda talent since Darrel Curtis took the Tigers to State back in..."

Darry flipped the radio off again before anything else could be said and focused his attention on the grill.

"Hey, Dar! Those burgers about done?" Two Bit called from his lawn chair under the big shade tree, beer bottle in hand.

"Just about. Hold your horses." Darry replied, giving each sizzling patty another good flip.

"Hurry! I'm bout half starved to death!" Steve complained, joining Darry at the grill to watch him cook their supper. It annoyed Darry to no end.

"Hey back up now." Darry grumbled at him, nudging the younger greaser away. "Go find my baby brother. Tell him his supper's about ready. He needs to get a little food in him as sick as he's been being."

Steve turned on his heel and jogged up the porch steps. "Hey don't ya'll start eatin without me!" He warned them all before the screen door shut back behind him.

"Go long, Johnny." Ponyboy told his best friend, as he reared back to toss the football to him again.

Johnny ran backwards and when he was finally far enough away Pony threw the ball to him.

"That's a real nice spiral ya got there, Pony." Darry commented, eyes once again drawn to their little game.

"I been practicin' a little." Pony explained, catching the ball when Johnny threw it back again.

"It shows. Keep it up. Might be able to make somethin' out of it one day." Darry told him while he and Johnny continued their little game of catch.

"Hey, I'm gonna run down to the DX and get a couple a' six packs." Two Bit yawned and stretched himself out as he stood from his lawn chair, then taking the last swig from his beer.

"Don't take to long. Supper's gonna be ready." Darry told him as he headed for his beat up old car. "And no damn lottery tickets this time. Got that?"

Two Bit waved in response and pulled out onto the street.

Darry shook his head and continued flipping the burgers.

"Darry, we got any pickles in the fridge?" Soda asked when Steve finally came back out of the house with him in tow.

"Right here, kid." Darry replied, picking up the jar of dill pickle spears and holding out for Sodapop to help himself.

"Soda you let that kid start callin' the shots now and he's gonna walk all over us one day." Steve warned his lover while Soda dug a hand full of pickle spears out of the jar for himself.

"You just hush. He ain't callin' nothin. I've always liked pickles." Soda answered, stuffing one into his mouth as he spoke.

"Hey you save some for the rest of us, now." Darry told his little brother, starting to take the burgers off the grill with his spatula and lay them on a platter next to him. "You know how Pony'll get to hollerin' if there ain't no pickles for his burger."

The sound of squealing tires caught everyone's attention and they looked up to see Dallas whipping around the corner in Buck Merril's convertible, with his radio blasting so the whole neighborhood could hear.

"Boys get back out of the road!" Darry called to Pony and Johnny who were already stepping back towards the porch when Dally came driving up.

"I smell barbecue." Dallas said as he stepped out of the car and tossed his cigarette to the ground, slamming the car door back after.

"You're just in time." Darry told him, while Soda and Steve fixed their plates next to him. "Hurry and grab ya a plate 'for these two down it all."

"Don't mind if I do." Dally replied, nudging past Steve to grab himself a burger.

"Ponyboy! Johnny!" Darry called to the younger boys, who had moved back out near the road. "Come get your supper before it gets cold!"

Ponyboy caught the football one last time before the two both came running up to the porch.

"You goin' out for football on me?" Dallas asked Johnny, his mouth full of cheeseburger as he spoke.

"Naw we was jus' foolin' around." Johnny replied, fixing himself a plate with Pony standing next to him. "I wouldn't be no

Good on a football team."

"Hey now, ya never know, Johnny. Not unless ya give it a try." Darry reminded him. He'd become a lot more of a Dad than anything to Johnny recently.

Johnny's folks finally had to answer to their poor parenting skills when Johnny's new English teacher finally turned them in for Child Abuse, and since the kid didn't have any other living relatives nearby the State granted Darry custody. It was a long process but now Johnny finally had the family he'd deserved all along.

"I think I'm more of a watcher." Johnny admitted, sitting down in one of the patio chairs between Dallas and Steve with his food.

"Well hey, if ya ever change yer mind we'll get ya signed up." Darry reinforced.

"Hey don't be givin' him any bright ideas, Darrel." Dallas piped in. "I don't know if I want him gettin' all banged up in those kinda games. I'm able to take a guy out if I see him get tackled."

Johnny blushed silently when Dally's hand came to rest on his shoulder.

"Don't listen to him, Johnny. You do whatever you want. I'm sure Dallas'll forgive ya for it." Darry replied to Dally's earlier statement.

"Darry, I'm thinkin' about goin' out for football." Pony told him brother, a grin spreading across his face when he saw his brother's eyes light up.

"Ya are?" Darry asked, a little shocked. "You're serious Pony?"

"Why not?" Pony shrugged. "Soda says I'm tough enough. I think it'd be kinda fun."

"Sounds like a lot of fun to me." Darry agreed, not able o hide the proud grin that came over his face.

"We'll have to get ya into that Summer football camp deal, Pony." Soda mentioned, his mouth full of burger.

"Hey, speakin' of Summer, ya know Two Bit's all set to graduate this Tuesday, right?" Darry reminded them all.

"Can't believe it." Steve shook his head. "I never thought he'd make it past Junior year. Reckoned he woulda quit after the second time."

"Well he didn't. And we need to celebrate for him." Darry said, fixing himself a plate.

"Sounds good, but not tonight." Dallas said, putting his arms around Ponyboy and Johnny. "Me and the boys are gonna go hunt some action, Darrel. Be back later."

"Hey now, I don't want no trouble started." Darry warned him.

"No trouble. No trouble." Dallas promised, leading the two away from the others.

"You have them back before nine!" Darry called out. "They got school tomorrow!"

Not only was Darry in charge of Ponyboy, but since Mr. and Mrs. Cade had been thrown in the slammer for child abuse, Darry was also Johnny's guardian as well, and he took it damn serious.

"So where we goin, Dal?" Pony asked as they left the others behind and climbed into Buck's primped up car, still munching on their burgers.

"You'll see." Dallas replied simply, and started up the car before whipping out onto the road.

"Drive Careful!" Darry yelled from the porch.

Dallas waved a hand at him and they headed off down the road to God knows where.

TBC


End file.
